This Roasted Vegetable Fall Pasta Salad is packed with flavor, and it's great both hot and cold! It has mixed roasted veggies, cheese, toasted pine nuts, and the best homemade sun-dried tomato vinaigrette! Each serving has about 20 grams of protein, so it's great both as a side and a main dish!
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Why You'll Love This Fall Pasta Salad
Packed with flavor - Forget bland pasta salads; this one has it all! It's packed with all kinds of flavors and textures, and the most delicious homemade Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette! The pasta is tossed with a mix of roasted veggies, cheese, pine nuts, and massaged kale.
Main or a side dish - This pasta salad has about 20 grams of protein per serving on its own without any extra protein, so it can totally be served for lunch or dinner as a full meal! You can add chickpeas or serve it along with roasted or grilled chicken, salmon, steak, or any other protein to stretch it into more servings.
Great for meal prep - Since this salad has kale and no other soft greens, it actually keeps quite well in the fridge, which makes it perfect for meal prep! It's delicious fresh when the veggies and pasta are still warm, but it's also really good once all the flavors sit together in the fridge overnight and the pasta soaks up the dressing.
Ingredients
- Pasta - I'm using tubetti pasta here. It's a small tubular pasta shape, and it keeps its shape really well (it's often used in soups). I've found it stays al dente longer than other shapes, so I always end up boiling it for longer because I like softer pasta. You can use any other pasta shape - penne, rotini, ziti, farfalle, macaroni, or other small shapes.
- Broccoli - One small head of broccoli is all you need. I recommend cutting it into small, bite-sized florets so it's easy to eat and the same size as everything else.
- Brussels sprouts - Pick firm, green ones with no visible mold or brown spots. Always check underneath the first layers because they can trap dirt and little bugs sometimes. I cut mine into quarters to match the size of the pasta.
- Red onion - You can use yellow onion or shallots too, but I find red onion goes the best with everything here. If you use shallots, I recommend making thicker slices to avoid them burning.
- Butternut squash - I actually bought pre-diced butternut squash for this recipe to save time and avoid having leftovers. I rarely do this, but it's always useful when you only need a little of something. If you have a whole one and need to use it up, try my Butternut Squash Crostini or my Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup!
- Kale - I used dinosaur kale, but curly kale is great as well. This is optional, but I wanted to add some greens, and kale holds up really well even after storing, so it's perfect for this salad. If you don't plan to store it. Baby spinach or arugula would be great too.
- Sundried tomato vinaigrette - This dressing can be used for a variety of salads, but it works especially well in this pasta salad! It's made with sundried tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Sundried tomatoes - I double up on these by adding both the dressing and chopping them into the salad, but this is optional.
- Cheese - I used fresh mozzarella this time because I needed to use it up, and it was amazing! I'd normally also use feta or crumbled soft goat cheese instead. I also sprinkled on some pecorino at the end of cooking the veggies for another layer of flavor, but you can skip this.
Variations and Substitutions
- Gluten-free pasta - You can replace the pasta with any similar small gluten-free pasta shape.
- Different or more veggies - Cauliflower, zucchini, or bell peppers would be a great addition here. I kept it more simple because I have a small oven and the original recipe is all it can fit.
- Double batch - If you have a bigger baking sheet, you can always double the recipe as well (or just add more veggies)! The dressing makes more than you need, so it will be enough for a double batch.
- Add protein - If you want to make it more filling as a main, you can add cooked chickpeas (I like using canned ones). Alternatively, diced roasted chicken is also great!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below are instructions for each part of the salad - toasting the pine nuts, making the dressing, roasting the veggies, cooking the pasta, massaging the kale, and putting it all together. I know it may sound like a lot, but I promise it's very easy and simple! I usually toast the pine nuts while I roast the veggies.
Toasted Pine Nuts
- Toast your pine nuts in a small pan over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until golden brown.
- Toss them often to make sure they don't burn. Take them off the heat and set aside while you prepare the rest.
Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
- Add all ingredients except olive oil to a large and tall measuring cup or a jar and blend using an immersion blender until almost smooth.
- Continue blending while slowly streaming in the olive oil until completely smooth.
- Set aside or store in the fridge until ready to serve. You can do this while the pasta cooks.
Fall Pasta Salad
- Preheat your oven to 400F and prepare a large baking sheet.
- Add the diced butternut squash, sliced red onion, quartered brussels sprouts, and broccoli florets to the baking sheet.
- Drizzle with avocado oil and season with sea salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
- Toss to evenly coat.
- Spread the vegetables out as much as possible and roast in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Take the pan out of the oven, sprinkle with pecorino or parmesan (optional), and roast for another 5 minutes. You can turn on the broiler here to get them crispier, but keep a close eye on them.
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- While the veggies are roasting, boil your pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions (usually 10-15 minutes).
- Drain and rinse it briefly with cold water. You can toss the pasta in a little bit of olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.
- While the pasta cooks, chop your kale into thin strips.
- Add it to a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and massage it with your hand for a minute to soften it. (Below is a kale photo from a different recipe for reference.)
- Add the roasted veggies and cooked pasta to the bowl along with diced mozzarella and toasted pine nuts.
- Add the vinaigrette and toss everything together gently until evenly mixed.
- Serve with extra fresh black pepper and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks!
- Cut everything to a similar size - This makes the pasta salad easier to eat, and it also ensures the veggies all finish cooking at the same time.
- Make everything while the vegetables roast - The veggies roast for 40 minutes, so you'll be able to cook the pasta, toast the pine nuts, massage the kale, and likely even make the vinaigrette before they finish cooking!
- Remove the stems from your kale - They're very tough and almost impossible to chew, so it's important to remove them. I hold the stem at the bottom of it in one hand and pull the leaves off with the other to easily do this.
Serving Suggestions
Hot or cold: You can serve the pasta salad right away while the pasta and the veggies are still slightly warm, but it's equally delicious cold.
Side of protein: You can serve it on its own as a main dish or with a side of protein. It's great with roasted or grilled chicken, salmon, steak, or any other similar protein.
Storing
Refrigerator: Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you skip the cheese, you can store it for 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing it.
Leftovers: When I make it for meal prep, I like to take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before I'm ready to eat so it has some time to warm up to room temperature. This also helps soften the pasta because it always firms up in the fridge.
Reheating: You could also technically reheat the salad, but I recommend adding a different type of cheese that won't melt as much, like feta or grilled halloumi. Because the dressing is sensitive to heat, I don't recommend reheating it over high heat, just slowly over low-medium.
FAQs
Yes, just skip the mozzarella or use a vegan cheese instead. Chickpeas are also a great replacement.
Similar Pasta Salads
Below are a few other pasta salads you can try if you liked this one! Most of them are more summer-themed, but they're just as easy to make in the fall and winter. To see all the latest pasta salads and more, head over to Salad Recipes!
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Print📖 Recipe
Roasted Vegetable Fall Pasta Salad
This Roasted Vegetable Fall Pasta Salad is packed with flavor, and it's great both hot and cold! It has mixed roasted veggies, cheese, toasted pine nuts, and the best homemade sun-dried tomato vinaigrette! It can be served as a side or as a main dish!
- Total Time1 hour
- Yield4 1x
- DietVegetarian
Ingredients
Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup (or other sweetener)
- 1 clove of garlic, grated
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
- 5-6 large fresh basil leaves (or 1 tsp dried basil)
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
Fall Pasta Salad
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 2 cups brussels sprouts, cut into quarters
- 2 cups small broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp pecorino or parmesan cheese (optional)
- 9 oz dry pasta (tubetti rigati or other small pasta, approx. 2 ¼ cups)
- 2-3 kale leaves, stems removed (dino or curly)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4-5 oz fresh mozzarella, diced
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted (see notes)
- ⅓ cup of sundried tomato vinaigrette (see notes)
Instructions
Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette
- Add all ingredients except olive oil to a tall container or a large mason jar with a wide opening.
- Use an immersion blender to blend everything into a chunky paste.
- Stream in the olive oil slowly while continuing to blend. Blend until smooth.
- Set aside or store in the fridge until ready to use.
Fall Pasta Salad
- Preheat your oven to 400F and prepare a large baking sheet.
- Add the diced butternut squash, sliced red onion, quartered brussels sprouts, and broccoli florets to the baking sheet.
- Drizzle with avocado oil and season with sea salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
- Toss to evenly coat.
- Spread the vegetables out as much as possible and roast in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Take them out, sprinkle with pecorino or parmesan (optional), and roast for another 5 minutes. You can turn on the broiler here to get them crispier but keep a close eye on them.
- While the veggies are roasting, boil your pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions (usually 10-15 minutes).
- Drain and rinse it briefly with cold water. You can toss the pasta in a little bit of olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.
- While the pasta cooks, chop your kale into thin strips.
- Add it to a large mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and massage it with your hand for a minute to soften it.
- Add the roasted veggies and cooked pasta to the bowl along with diced mozzarella, toasted pine nuts, and sundried tomato vinaigrette.
- Toss everything together gently until well mixed with the dressing.
- Serve with extra fresh black pepper and enjoy!
Notes
Pine nuts: Toast the pine nuts in a small dry pan over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown, tossing often. You can do this while the veggies roast.
Vinaigrette: The recipe makes more than you need because it's hard to blend it using an immersion blender if there's too little ingredients. You can use the leftovers in this Kale Sweet Potato Salad.
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. I don’t recommend reheating this pasta salad because the mozzarella would melt completely. If you plan to reheat it, add grilled halloumi instead, or feta right before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Salad
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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